Headlines
by our dancing days
Summary: Five times Sirius Black made the headlines.


**Title: **Headlines

**Character: **Sirius Black (and others)

**Summary: **Five times Sirius Black made the headlines. One-shot.

**Notes: **This is a story showing five different news articles from the Daily Prophet, centered around Sirius Black, the local celebrity, as it were. (The dates are all my friends' birthdays; I was feeling nostalgic). It's a pretty different idea, I think, so I hope you enjoy!

* * *

**2****nd**** September, 1971**

**SIRIUS BLACK SORTED INTO GRYFFINDOR!  
- Shock Or Scandal?**

Sirius Black, eleven year old heir to the Black family estate, has been sorted into Gryffindor house this September!

Mr Charlus Potter, Head of the esteemed and proclaimed "good" pureblood Potter family, has been quoted to say, "Well, you never know; when Mr Black becomes Head of the family, there may just be a few changes in the running of pureblood politics. If he's not disowned first, of course!"

Mr Potter is a member of the board of governors for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and a senior member of Wizengamot.

Orion Black, son of the current Head of the Black family and father of Sirius Black, has refused to comment, but has been seen having frequent meetings and visitations with various "important people", including members of the Hogwarts board of governors, and up-and-coming member of Wizengamot and to-be governor, Cassandra Rosier.

Mr Black was once even spotted entering the office of Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore.

The Headmaster, when approached about the matter, said, "In the history of Hogwarts, there has never been a case of a changing of houses. Perhaps, in time, young Mr Black may prove his place in Gryffindor."

He declined further comment.

But is it true? Perhaps, do we sort too soon? Is the house system part of our heritage that we must cherish, or is it a way of turning students and families against each other?

Bellatrix Lestrange, the cousin of Mr Black, commented, "The brat deserves Gryffindor. He spilt Firewhiskey down my favourite robe last Christmas."

Nevertheless, this revelation has started a storm of gossip in the wizarding world: will Mr Black's younger brother, Regulus, be sorted into Gryffindor also? Will his mother Walburga wear red at the annual Christmas Pureblood Ball? Will Sirius ever be a Slytherin?

Mr Black, it seems, has also made friends with two halfblood boys in his year, which is sure to...

(Continued on page 10)

_-Written by Rita Skeeter, Apprentice Reporter_

* * *

**12th**** May, 1974**

**HOGWARTS STUDENT CRITICALLY INJURED!  
-Is He The Last?**

Fourth year Slytherin, Severus Snape, was crucially injured yesterday after a prank turned near-fatal.

Sirius Black, rebellious Gryffindor heir to the Black fortune, already with a bad reputation for bullying other students, especially Slytherins in his year, has been accused of the crime that had Mr Snape transferred to St. Mungo's last night.

Albus Dumbledore has denied the accusations of Hogwarts being unsafe for its students, however, but he has refused to give any more details relating to the incident.

"It's despicable," member of the board of governors at Hogwarts School, Cassandra Rosier, said tearfully during an interview this morning. "To think that such young boys can be capable of attempted murder are soon to be released into the society that has shaped them into these criminals! Dumbledore has gone too far this time."

The headmaster of Hogwarts said, "What happened to Mr Snape was a pure accident - a mix of bad luck, boyish foolishness, and bad decision making.

"Mr Black has been appropriately punished, including a year's worth of detentions, multiple letters sent home to his parents, and weekly meetings with myself and his Head of House, Professor McGonagall.

"He is well aware of the consequences of his actions and, rest assured, nothing similar will occur again in the future. This has been a contained incident that we all deeply regret, and that we all pray that it could have been avoided."

Remus Lupin, a fellow Gryffindor fourth year and friend of Black, was also harmed yesterday, his injuries possibly related to the recent attack.

Little information has been revealed about the nature of his and Mr Snape's injuries and both have remained under careful evaluation at St. Mungo's until further notice.

Mr Black, Mr Snape and Mr Lupin were all unavailable for comment...

(Continued on page 8)

_-Written by Rita Skeeter, Junior Reporter_

* * *

**22nd**** July, 1976**

**HEIR TO BLACK FORTUNE OFFICIALLY DISOWNED!  
- Cousin Speaks Out!**

Sirius Black, aged sixteen, is well known amongst the wizarding world. As a young boy, his family's movements were carefully watched by the press eager to learn more about these so-called "celebrities." Mr Black grabbed the headlines in his first year for being sorted into Gryffindor, and in his fourth year, was responsible for the near death of two of his classmates.

In a long-awaited pureblood scandal, however, Walburga and Orion Black have confirmed that Sirius is not longer their son.

Mr Black was legally disowned early this morning, and has been officially cut off from all his inheritance, the Black family estates, and all family ties.

It has been reported that he is staying with a school friend in England, though the location of his whereabouts cannot be disclosed due to his personal safety and privacy of the family.

"I can't believe it," Narcissa Malfoy, cousin of the aforementioned Mr Black, told us today, "He was such a good boy. My favourite cousin. Gryffindor changed him; separated from us, his family, he drifted away from the charming, sweet boy I knew when we were mere children.

"His brother Regulus has been devastated ever since Sirius refused to contact him whist at Hogwarts, and this has been the final straw. I fear that our family will never be the same."

Mrs Malfoy's sister, Andromeda, was also disowned two years ago, though the exact reasons why are unclear.

Andromeda hasn't been heard of since her move to Dover earlier this year.

"We can assure you that Mr Black will receive the proper care necessary in order to help heal him from this ordeal, mentally, physically _and _emotionally," Headmaster Albus Dumbledore said, when asked about how the situation will be dealt with once Mr Black in transferred over to the care of the Hogwarts professors.

The question we are all asking, however, is _why?_

Cassandra Rosier and Orion Black have been in correspondence over...

(Continued on page 15)

_-Written by Rita Skeeter, Junior Reporter_

* * *

**16th December, 1979**

**HEAD OF POTTER FAMILY REVEALS ENGAGEMENT TO MUGGLEBORN!  
- Disowned Black To Be Best Man! **

Nineteen year old James Potter has recently revealed his secret, scandalous engagement to Muggleborn witch, Lily Evans, and his plan to have the disowned Black heir as his best man.

Does this mark the end of all pureblood traditions?

"I have no say in the matter," Dorea Potter, nee Black, said this morning in her family home at Shropshire. "Ever since the death of my husband in James' fifth year, James has been the Head of the family. It became official when he turned seventeen.

"Lily is a lovely, charming girl; however, I do wish that James would continue the pureblood Potter line."

When asked whether or not she would be attending the wedding, Mrs Potter answered, "Of course I am! It's going to be a small wedding, friends and family only. I'm the only one James has left, and Lily's parents died last year, so I couldn't bear for them to have no family there. He may be marrying a Muggleborn, but I wouldn't miss my son's wedding day for anything."

Mrs Potter is, in fact, great aunt of the best man, Sirius Black, who was disowned three years ago for illegal activity and "dishonouring the House of Black". That makes Mr Potter and Mr Black distantly related.

"James Potter is the best person I have ever had the opportunity to meet - excluding Lily, of course. They deserve to be married, to be together, to be happy; and they aren't about to let a load of bad press and uptight purebloods get in their way," Sirius Black said in an interview with trainee reporter of the Daily Prophet, Rita Skeeter.

He refused to comment on the situation with his own family.

"It's a disgrace," Cassandra Rosier, head of Hogwarts' board of governors, commented. "The Potter family is a wealthy, respectable line and shouldn't be tainted with the likes of Mud- Muggleborns."

Miss Lily Evans declined to comment after dragging away her new fiancé, Mr Potter, when he presented this journalist with a rather rude hand gesture.

Close friends of the couple, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew, will be walking Miss Evans down the aisle while...

(Continued on page 16)

_-Written by Rita Skeeter, Senior Reporter_

* * *

**1****st**** November, 1981**

**DARK LORD DEFEATED BY THE BOY WHO LIVED!  
- Black Charged With Mass-Murder!**

In a shocking turn on events, yesterday marked the end of fifteen lives: 12 resident Muggles, beloved couple James and Lily Potter, and mass-murderer, proclaimed Dark Lord, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!

Sirius Black, friend to the Potters, was said to have revealed the location of their hideout, after being pronounced as their Secret Keeper, to You-Know-Who. Peter Pettigrew, another friend, cornered him in a street early this morning, where Black murdered him, and constructed an explosion that killed twelve other Muggles in the facinity.

James and Lily Potter were terribly murdered by the Dark Lord and his followers late on Halloween night.

However, when he attempted to kill their son, baby Harry, it appears that the curse backfired, killing You-Know-Who in the process!

"Harry's survival is the best news we could have hoped for. After the devastating shock of being orphaned, he has been moved to a safe, undisclosed location with other relatives. He will be known throughout the wizarding world. He is the boy who lived," Albus Dumbledore quoted early this morning.

Is it true?

Could a one-year-old really have taken out the most bloodthirsty wizarding killer since Grindelwald?

If he did, then it has come at a greater cost, though no greater than what we imagined it would take. Black has been moved to Azkaban without trial, where he will remain, for life. Mr Pettigrew has been given an Order of Merlin, First Class, which will be presented to his mother this afternoon.

Young Harry will be hidden until he enters Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on September 1st in ten years' time.

It is a truly joyous day for all wizards and witches, however, please mourn and respect the sacrifices of two powerful people, Mr and Mrs Potter, who gave their lives to take down He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Their house in Godric's Hollow has been kept in disrepair in their honour, and a statue dedicated to them and their martyrdom.

Cassandra Rosier has resigned from her post after hearing the news and...

(Full coverage on pages 12-17)

_-Written by Rita Skeeter, Senior Reporter_


End file.
